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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26543137">Octowitch</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/CuscusJones/pseuds/CuscusJones'>CuscusJones</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Babies, Blaise is an incurable flirt, Blaise is gay, Blaise's boyfriend is the better half, Career vs Family, Crazy Cat Lady starter kit, Dilemma of the career woman, Draco has gone completely legitimate, Exploitative Malfoys, Ginny gave up her career, Ginny is a good friend, Ginny the pragmatist, Good Draco Malfoy, Harry doesn't care if Hermione is a single mum, Harry is a Good Friend, IVF, Inheritance Law, Lucius Malfoy is a pro lifer, Lucius is not phased by gay relationships, Lucius on the prowl, Meddling Weasleys, Molly is an incurable breeder, Muggle Technology, Muggle concepts, Multi, No nonsense Hermione, Nothing wrong with not getting married, Octomom - Freeform, Progressive Weasleys, Ron Weasley Bashing, Ron is a lazy arse, Unhelpful Weasleys, Weasleys just want Hermione to settle down, When is Blaise not cocky, Who doesn't want a box full of cats, Wizards misunderstanding Muggle concepts, crazy cat lady</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 07:15:01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Rape/Non-Con</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>9,466</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26543137</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/CuscusJones/pseuds/CuscusJones</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Hermione wants to achieve big things. She doesn't have time to dedicate to a partner and have a family. Sure, she wants babies some day, and she has a supportive extended family, and she is only on the up and up in her profession so could happily provide, partnered or not. She can't possibly have it all? Can she? Meanwhile somewhere in California a certain Nadya Suleman is making headlines after being implanted with eight embryos.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Astoria Greengrass/Draco Malfoy, Blaise Zabini/OC</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>In which Molly showcases her babies obsession.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Are you going to find a nice man sometime soon, dear?”</p><p>..“I’ve found plenty of nice men, Molly, and I’ve lost plenty of them too.”</p><p>“Tsk. You know Ginny and Bill are already three up on you. Charlie’s engaged now. Ron’s will be coming along in six months. George is going on a third date with that Tabitha girl - I think it’s getting serious… Well anyway… It would be nice for your young’uns to be at school with friends. Don’t leave it too late?”</p><p>..“Molly, I’m far too busy. I’m consulting to two departments in the Ministry as well as running my own practice. The number of times I’ve been dropped after not spending enough time with my partner. You know about that.”</p><p>“You could go it alone if you don’t have time for a partner. Arthur and I have no trouble with the grandkiddies. A couple more would be no bother at all. Wouldn’t even know the difference. We could add an extension. You could move in.”</p><p>..“That’s above and beyond, Molly. I couldn’t impose on you like that.”</p><p>“Think about it, dear. I just don’t want to see you miss out. Littlies are awfully precious, and I am sure yours will be the smartest, cutest little buttons we ever did see.”</p><p>..“Molly, has anyone ever pointed out that you may have an addiction to babies?”</p><p>“I can picture them now. They have hair like a dandelion puff, pouty-wouty lips and oopsie-boopsie widdle tingies and toes which I’ll play little piggy went to market all day long while mumsies at workies!”</p><p>..“Molly, stop!”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>In which Harry is a good friend (mostly).</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Do you think I’m stupid for considering it?”</p><p>“Nah…” said Harry, swinging back on his chair, threading his fingers together behind his head. “Albus and Lily basically live there already, Ron and Lav are over there every night cuz they’re freeloaders and I imagine when their brood is in full swing it’ll be the same. Can’t imagine Lav would take her babies to the beauty parlour, can you?”</p><p>“Oh, I don’t know,” smirked Hermione, “the sooner she starts training them, the sooner she can book more clients.”</p><p>“Well,” said Harry taking a slurp of tea, “not like Wizarding Britain has any child employment laws. Ron will approve cuz they won’t have to be paid.”</p><p>“Harry! He wouldn’t… would he?”</p><p>“Well, he has been fired from every job after 3 months.”</p><p>Hermione let out a sigh. Ron was incurably lazy and pathetically transparent about it. Chatting to customers he called networking. Walking up the highstreet and ducking into shops was research. If there was a way for Lav’s parlour to bring the income they needed there would be no doubt Ron would come up with a dozen excuses to stop looking for work.</p><p>“But seriously, if she’s offering then why not? It’s alright being a single, working mum nowadays. Get a headstart on the babies, find a partner later after your career is established.”</p><p>“That’s a bit cold, Harry.”</p><p>Harry hummed with a sneaky smile as he topped up her tea.</p><p>“Did you know that Ginny has got George working on cat jokes for a cat themed party?”</p><p>“What’s that got to do with anything?” Hermione asked, narrowing her eyes.</p><p>“Sayyyy, isn’t it your birthday in a couple of months?”</p><p>“Nooo…”</p><p>Harry whipped out his mobile and flicked his way down his messages. Before he even got to it, his shoulders were shaking as he held in his mirth.</p><p>Spinning the phone around, Hermione looked at a paused video with a message, “Getting closer to the final version.” Hesitantly she touched it to play. Scuffling and laughter were heard as the camera focused on a plain cardboard box, stamped all over with “starter kit”. It was tied around with a floppy bow. Ginny could be heard to say, “Can I? I want to do it.” A hand reached on screen to tug at the ribbon end and at once the box began jostling. Adorably a black and white kitten nudged its way under the crack of the lid. “Awww, hello gorgeous,” crooned Ginny and her hand ran itself across the kitten’s back a few times. Then a ginger one started crawling through the crack.</p><p>“Hee heee heeee,” went Harry. Hermione frowned, why was this bad?</p><p>The lid sprung open as two further kittens clambered up and out. They commenced their high pitched mewing. And behind them four more. Then another four. And then it was a veritable heaving as the box belched out a lava flow of unending kittens. The howling of their combined mews were evenly matched by Ginny and George howling in the shop… with laughter. </p><p>Harry was slapping his thigh at that stage.</p><p>“That’s…. not…. Funny! I’m not even…. Ugh… they don’t even understand the concept.... I’m not even of that age… they’ve got it mixed up… “</p><p>“They’re not going to care that they didn’t get a Muggle concept right. That cat party is on it’s way.”</p><p>“Lucky I like cats,” Hermione sniffed into her cup.</p><p>“I vetoed the tuna filled chocolates. They were disgusting.”</p><p>“Barf. How did that even get on the drawing board?”</p><p>Harry pocketed his mobile and slid out, flicking his wand to clear the tea service into the kitchen. Drawing Hermione into a hug he said, “Good talk. See you Sunday roast? There might be.... News.”</p><p>“Like what…?”</p><p>“Errr… like maybe number four?”</p><p>“Oh My God. You goddamn breeder, Harry Potter. That’s perfect, after Molly bailing me up last week!!”</p><p>Harry quickly broke off and jogged towards the door, “OK, byyeeee!” he called laughingly.</p><p>“Expecto Patronum!” she slashed angrily. “Come back here so I can freaking geld you!” she shouted and the otter dashed merrily away.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>In which Ginny and Hermione have a candid conversation and Ginny is rather progressive.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“I’m sorry, honey,” pouted Ginny, “but you know how it would’ve been if we left the announcement any later.”</p><p>“You are damn lucky, Ginevra Potter. There were far too many witnesses for me to do what I wanted to do.”</p><p>Ginny pulled Hermione into a side hug.</p><p>“Even Arthur… UGH!! He was trying to sell me on Algernon Poots!”</p><p>Ginny hoed into her peach fluff pie, making sinful sounds.</p><p>“Oh my. I can’t get enough of peaches right now. Mmmmm… Well you’ve already gone through everyone under 40 in his department.”</p><p>Hermione forked her salad quickly. She needed to be back at work in half an hour.</p><p>“Arthur has to stop this madness. I don’t actually have any trouble finding my own dates, you know. I’ve picked through the good ones he named and I thanked him for the introductions…”</p><p>“I know you don’t have trouble dating, sweetie. It’s just that dad is picking you nice stable, established ones to balance out your… picks.”</p><p>Hermione spat out an olive pip, perhaps a tad too hard. “Algernon has a lazy eye and even with his special glasses he can’t cast straight. He also has a comically large hairy wart on his nose.”</p><p>“But he’s low maintenance. He’s a member of so many clubs and he’s at the Berlin office every second month. That’s why dad thought of him. He’s taking your professional life seriously. See? You’d just bonk him to get up the duff. You can do your I Love You’s by owl. Join him at the Quidditch Old Boys yule party and all the rest of the time is your own. He’s so caught up in all his hobbies that he probably wouldn’t notice his absentee wife.”</p><p>Ginny stopped only to wave her arm briefly. “Can I get a peach coconut shake?”</p><p>“Ginny… I know I’m not much to look at… but seriously.”</p><p>“His body’s not bad for 57…”</p><p>“Oh, so I should just close my eyes when bonking.”</p><p>“You can keep some sexy lovers. You’re not anti kids, are you?”</p><p>“No!” Hermione said quickly.</p><p>“Just checking you haven’t changed your views. I’d tell everyone to back off if you have.”</p><p>“OK,” said Hermione, relaxing, "Yeah, I still want them. I just can’t now. Look at you. Look at Lav. It’s a big chunk of your life. I have to give my 100% to the things I want to change now. No one will take notice if I try and do them when I’m 40. I’ll just be a return to work mum.”</p><p>Ginny reached over and clasped her hand. “I do understand. I gave up pro, remember.”</p><p>“And you’re a stronger person than me. I would have been devastated.’</p><p>“I was devastated. But I can’t change it. And anyway, life is still pretty good.”</p><p>Hermione clasped her friend’s hand firmly.</p><p>“We’re alive, right?” said Ginny, lightly. It had taken years to be able to say that without crying but Ginny liked how she could say it now and genuinely feel positive.</p><p>“Harry joked that I should just have the kids, no husband. Dump them at Molly’s. Get a husband later when I retire.”</p><p>“Mum would love that. If she had her way, all the grandkids would be living with her because none of us are doing it right.”</p><p>“I can’t have kids that I never see! I’d already not see them once they get into Hogwarts! I would actually prefer to have kids that have a home life… with me if that’s not clear.”</p><p>“Honey, don’t exaggerate, I’m pretty sure you would not actually dump them at mum’s full time. Even if you were leaning on her heavily, I suspect it would be a blessing for her. She stays home all the time. She won’t pick up any hobbies. Most of her time used to be taking care of us and doing order work. And you know what she does now that she’s bored all the time? She bugs me and Fleur. Fleur blocked her floo last month until I tore her a new one cos I cannot do 100% Molly!”</p><p>Hermione cackled, enjoying a bit of inadvertent payback for Ginny drawing Molly’s focus on her during Sunday.</p><p>“If I could do that,” Hermione began, dabbing her lips with a napkin, “then better to just get it all out of the way. Have three at once. I’d just buy one of everything and Geminio them all.”</p><p>“What if they’re boys and girls?” piped Ginny.</p><p>“No matter. Pants. Pants all round. Or they can go traditionalist - robes, no pants. Bowl haircuts.”</p><p>“OK, smarty,” said Ginny, “and how will you ensure you get triplets?”</p><p>“Muggles have IVF. They just fertilize outside the body and implant the embryos in the womb.”</p><p>“Clever.”</p><p>“Actually, there’s been a big blow up in America recently with this woman they’re calling Octomom. She’s carrying eight kids. She somehow wrangled a doctor to agree to it.”</p><p>“Flippin’eck! She must be the size of a hippogriff!”</p><p>“Here, I’ll show you,” Hermione said, whipping out her mobile. “Hmm… hmmm… Here’s a good one.”</p><p>Ginny’s eyes were as wide as saucers, “Can you imagine if this stuff was around when mum had us?”</p><p>“Ginny!” chortled Hermione, catching on immediately. “You wouldn’t just have had the Quidditch team… You’d have had all the spectators too.”</p><p>They did not notice a certain handsome Italian in a booth further back stiffen slightly, fork frozen in hand for the last few minutes.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>In which Blaise is a (lovable?) pain in the arse.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Hermione was astounded. She pursed her lips before giving a slight wave of her hand. Blaise jumped in his seat as the door slammed shut and a slight shuddering coldness came from ceiling to floor. That was Hermione’s custom privacy charms … being applied rather angrily.</p><p>Sitting back and closing her eyes, she took a deep breath before she steepled her fingers and looked at Blaise again.</p><p>“Let’s start from the top, shall we?” she began.</p><p>“During Hogwarts, while you were not actively bullying me, you were standing behind Malfoy most of the time sneering and pointing.</p><p>“For many blissful years afterwards, I heard neither hide nor hair of you.</p><p>“Eventually this department came knocking on my door for my expertise and so began a most wonderful working relationship, hardly able to be called work at all.</p><p>“Sadly, you were then employed as a financial administrator and unfortunately two out of three times, you’re assigned to the projects I’m on.</p><p>“Those projects are nothing but trouble and take twice as long as the projects you’re not on. Strange, yes?</p><p>“If I did not believe in what I am working on as much as I do, I would have ceased consulting here long ago.</p><p>“Every single time that I cannot put you off any longer, you are smarmy and annoying and pick at all the costings in my proposal until finally accepting all of them weeks later.</p><p>“Somehow, despite all this, you imagine we are chums. So much so that you felt that it would not be in the slightest bizarre, unconscionable, to announce that you eavesdropped on something that was clearly fantastical, but having a bit of a think felt you could convince me to consider IVF seriously, and thus presuming nothing but success in your sweet-talking skills that you and your partner “are in” as you eloquently put it.”</p><p>Blaise opened his mouth, but Hermione put a hand up.</p><p>“And you clearly believe the offer of your own sperm to father my babies is an amazing offer, not to be sneezed at.”</p><p>“Cara mia,” opened Blaise, with a moviestar smile and wide eyes, “we would be good together! The babies will be gorgeous; you the brains, mine the beauty.”</p><p>“Oh, thank you,” said Hermione, sarcastically.</p><p>“My mother’s line is dominant. My father was ugly as sin. But you are quite pretty anyway, Granger, you know. Not bad at all. I have all confidence in such a merger between us.”</p><p>“You are forgetting something,” said Hermione, totally unsurprised that Blaise let everything she had said roll off his back, “We are not friends, Zabini. Neither you, nor your partner.”</p><p>“We can make friends,” he pushed on, “you, me, Antonio. Let’s have dinner and talk.”</p><p>“Even if I were to consider this, you have nothing I want.”</p><p>“Gattina, we will find something. I’ll approve anything you want. I’ll stop being a little bitch that makes your life hard. I heard Glasson has a bee in his bonnet about your thestral reserve. He owes Antonio a favour or two.”</p><p>“Does he just?” Hermione said, giving him a sharp look.</p><p>“So, dinner?”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Hermione attends a pitch dinner and there are unexpected guests.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Hermione stepped out of the lift on the twelfth floor, and allowed a waiter to take her coat. Very posh, she thought, smoothing down her dress.</p><p>“Reservation, ma’am?”</p><p>“It should be Zabini.”</p><p>“Ahh yes, they have arrived. This way, please.”</p><p>As she approached the table, she saw Blaise break out into a big grin and nudge Antonio next to him - a man as lean as Blaise, with a flawless olive complexion, and from what she heard,  better teamwork skills than Blaise.</p><p>And two crowns of platinum. She spun around 180 and made for the door.</p><p>“Carina! Going somewhere?”</p><p>She was stunned by the speed that Blaise had caught her up and put a firm hand on her hip.</p><p>“What are they doing here?!”</p><p>“Oh, common interests… mutual friends… a love of good food.”</p><p>“I am even less friends with Malfoy than I am friends with you!”</p><p>“Darling, darling, darling, calm yourself. Let me appeal to the woman of the world in you. You know the wait list for this place is six months?”</p><p>“I do.”</p><p>“You know who the guest chef is for this month?”</p><p>“Hmmmm.”</p><p>“It’s just dinner, Granger. How bad can it be? At least, just use me for this great food experience.”</p><p>“Fine. Malfoy. Malfoy,” she nodded stiffly to each of the blondies as she allowed Blaise to seat her.</p><p>“Cara, this is my partner; my love, Antonio Solano. Antonio, Hermione Granger.”</p><p>“Miss Granger,” he said, rising slightly, “good to meet you in person finally. Your reputation precedes you, of course.”</p><p>Hermione couldn’t help but give Antonio a once over. They made a very pretty couple indeed. </p><p>“How are you, Malfoy?” she said shortly, giving Draco a glance.</p><p>“I can’t complain,” he replied mildly. Draco had pursued a mastery in wards and charms after the war and recently joined a unit in the Ministry dedicated to inspecting failing wards. The war had wiped out entire families whose properties were now crumbling and at risk of being visible or harmful to Muggles, and where, thankfully, a family had survived, there were instances where the relatives who held the knowledge on building and repairing their wards were deceased.</p><p>He often worked hand in hand with Harry who often related to Hermione the times Draco had surprised him with his knowledge and the change in his character. “He can still be surly,” said Harry, “but it’s like he actively avoids things getting to a head.” Hermione had scoffed, Draco forgetting how to be antagonistic? Hermione gave him another look. Maybe there was some truth to that, then.</p><p>“And you, Lord Malfoy?” </p><p>“Everything I do is reported in The Prophet, Miss Granger,” the patriarch responded.</p><p>Hermione thanked the waiter as the menu was laid in front of her before she mused, “I don’t think there’s been any articles about you for at least a few years.”</p><p>“Then I have been doing nothing,” he replied smugly.</p><p>“Secretive, aren’t we?”</p><p>“Mr Potter and my son keep a very tight leash on me, I’m afraid. I live an awfully dull life now.”</p><p>“And you’re quite impartial, are you, Malfoy?”</p><p>“I am,” Draco replied with a charming grin. “You must doubt my ability to be mature, but I assure you I am only scrutinizing everything my father does in my own interest. Anything nefarious he does would ruin everything Tori and I have built.”</p><p>“Narcissa left the ball and chain in Draco’s care when she left,” snickered Blaise.</p><p>Hermione took stock of the table before her. She was deep in Slytherin territory. It would be no small matter that Blaise had taken her for a degustation - there would be several courses, meaning several paired wines; port and or liqueur after; the food to liquid ratio would be greatly mismatched. This was confirmed as the first plate arrived: a solitary scallop shell housing the plump medallion atop herbs that could only have been picked by tweezers. The first wine was generously splashed into their glasses.</p><p>There were the Malfoys too. Now Blaise was hardly a person in need of emotional support from a dear friend and on the off chance he were, the elder Malfoy was unnecessary. Elder Malfoy dining out with the younger generation? Suspicious, even if he had nothing to do at home and had become wifeless. Hard to tell when it had happened as it was certainly not reported in the tabloids she considered as she appraised him surreptitiously through the walls of her glass. Perhaps it was shortly after the war she thought as she recalled Narcissa looking less than impressed at her husband while leading Draco away through the rubble of Hogwarts.</p><p>Setting down her glass she wondered when Blaise might bring up the topic this dinner was greasing the cogs for. Perhaps after the third wine he’d forget? That would suit her fine. Either way, she intended enjoying the degustation to the fullest.</p><p>Conversation flowed easily but Hermione supposed that the Malfoys and Blaise were dab hands at social intercourse. It was during the fifth course that Antonio raised it.</p><p>“Miss Granger, let me apologise for any presumptuous behaviour on my partner’s part. It is clear to me that you are not the tight-knit group Blaise sold me on. Am I right that I should not hope too much for offspring any time soon?”</p><p>“Your mention of a group confuses me,” she replied politely before turning to Blaise with a pointed look. “That would say I had something to do with the Malfoys.”</p><p>“Blaise does love to challenge me with unexpected situations,” smoothed Antonio, “Putting everything Blaise may have proposed aside, I would still love to know more about this IVF.”</p><p>“You’re the diplomat of the family, obviously,” she said, leaning back as the plates were cleared. “What’s your interest in IVF, Malfoy? It’s hardly a topic for polite banter. You’re not here for a social dinner, therefore.”</p><p>“You’ve flushed us out, Miss Granger.” It was the elder Malfoy interjecting. “I do hope we can make it into polite banter, we’re only halfway through the degustation.”</p><p>“Lord Malfoy, I intend to savour every tasty morsel to the very end of the menu. Despite my moniker “Beacon of Light” I am only human, and at this time I am darkly enjoying the pleasure of Zabini seeing every last penny he has pumped into this evening drift further and further away from his intended goal. It could not please me more to see the rest of you do the same.”</p><p>At this she turned to give Antonio a soft smile and he nodded just slightly to demonstrate there were no hard feelings.</p><p>“I am sure there will be no barrier to cordial relations this evening, Miss Granger,” the elder Malfoy confirmed, “anything hard between us has become well lubricated by these fine vintages.”</p><p>He was smirking most devilishly, but Hermione ignored his blatant flirtation and offered no smile in return. “Tell me then, what is the Malfoy interest in IVF?”</p><p>Draco looked about to say something, but his father beat him to it. </p><p>“It’s no longer relevant since the availability of IVF was misconstrued. However, both Mr Solano and myself wish to explore the topic now, for purely knowledge’s sake. Tell me, is it quite common with the Muggles?”</p><p>“Hmm, it’s common in that nobody treats it with suspicion or shame, but it’s still quite irregular to meet someone who has used it.”</p><p>“So the Muggles don’t have falling fertility rates like we do?” queried the senior Malfoy.</p><p>“I’m not sure, really. Medicine is not a field I keep abreast of. However, in first world countries it is quite a thing to delay having children, so there can be fertility issues when couples are no longer having children in their teens and twenties. It’s also less of a taboo now for singles or gays to access IVF so quite besides fertility, there is growing popularity for that.”</p><p>“What’s with the name?” asked Blaise.</p><p>“IVF stands for In Vitro Fertilisation,” Hermione advised.</p><p>“Why glass?” he asked.</p><p>“Oh, that’s just how it was in the beginning, lab equipment being primarily glass. Too confusing to change the name now. There’s no special reason with glass. It’s not like potion manufacture where cauldron metal type can be specific.”</p><p>“So how do you make eight babies using this?” </p><p>At this Hermione laughed as she recalled Blaise swaggering into her office and saying he “was  in” before he even knew what it was and how it worked.</p><p>“To put in very simple terms, you get a bunch of eggs, fertilise them, then implant them in the womb.”</p><p>“How do you get the eggs?”</p><p>“Look, I don’t have a medical degree, nor are any of you familiar with the proper medical terms or procedures so I’m going to keep this simple. But it is by no means simple and there will be a lot I am leaving out. A doctor will give a woman hormones to stimulate her eggs ripening, because usually only one egg is released per cycle. The eggs are harvested directly from the ovary before they do the usual travelling down to the womb. Sperm is collected from a male and combined with the eggs. They wait to see which ones successfully become embryos and at a certain age, they can then transfer them into the womb.”</p><p>“So the American woman you were discussing, she had eight embryos transferred?”</p><p>“No, she would have had more. It’s unusual for all of them to take, so they always implant more to improve the chances of conceiving.”</p><p>“But what if they all take?” asked Draco.</p><p>“Then they abort the ones that aren’t needed.”</p><p>“No!” Elder Malfoy had put his glass down suddenly. “Why?”</p><p>Hermione cleared her throat. “Umm… most couples only want one child at a time?”</p><p>“That’s… senseless. If they need to use this to conceive, why would they willingly get rid of any of them?”</p><p>“It’s horrendously consuming, Lord Malfoy. The hormone course and the harvesting is quite uncomfortable for the woman, and in fact the whole process itself takes a lengthy period. It’s emotionally debilitating for couples to go through the process over and over, because even though they implant multiples it is not guaranteed that at least one will take. The odds are not high to conceive on the first round. I am sure from your experience of the fertility issues here how devastating it is for parents to miscarry in even the very early stages. I understand the moral high ground, but it simply is not practical to implant only one at a time.”</p><p>“Ahem,” interrupted Blaise. “So, you seem to be saying that Muggles want children one at a time, but this American woman is having eight. Which is more usual?”</p><p>Hermione rolled her eyes and began to feel a little sorry for Antonio. Blaise was either thick or being an arse. “Anyone opting to carry more than twins are crazy in my eyes. Why would anyone do that to themselves? The discomfort in lugging around a sack of potatoes for nine months, the chorus of wailing from multiple mouths, the fact that irrespective of how many sprogs come out the mother still only possesses two teats.”</p><p>Both Malfoys smirked at the effect liquor was having on Hermione, her propriety in language was obviously devolving.</p><p>“Time saving, perhaps?” grinned Blaise.</p><p>“Zabini, you could not have been mistaken that Ginny and I were speculating in the cafe and none of what I said has been seriously contemplated.”</p><p>“Miss Granger,” Antonio spoke, butting in before Blaise could say any other indelicate things. “You said that singles are using this service? What do they do about the other half?”</p><p>“If they don’t have someone ready to donate for them, there are actually banks of both eggs and sperm these days. Anonymous donation.”</p><p>“And for gays? Who carries the child?”</p><p>“Well, it’s more likely that the couple has a friend who was donating the egg and was willing to carry for them anyway. But there are straight couples too where the woman isn’t able to carry. They advertise for a surrogate in that case.”</p><p>“So if Blaise and I were to consider going forward in this, we’d need an egg donor and a surrogate.”</p><p>Hermione cleared her throat again. “You would need a witch to be an egg donor, if you wanted to lessen the chance of a non magical child,” she said gently.</p><p>“I suppose there may be undiscovered differences between witch and Muggle surrogates too,” mused Antonio.</p><p>‘And it would be very unlikely to find many witches or wizards in our community willing to do so without an ongoing familial relationship,” said Malfoy Senior.</p><p>“Maybe muggleborn or half blood would be more progressive?” suggested Hermione.</p><p>“Muggleborns perhaps,” he replied, “but there would be complications and legal ramifications for any half blood of older families, with their substantial holdings and vaults. They would not risk a child willingly given to others who can potentially end up inheriting.”</p><p>“Why would it be different for Muggleborn?” she enquired as the next course was delivered.</p><p>“Your assets in the Muggle world are not bound by blood. Even if a Muggleborn witch or wizard was wealthy upon entering our community, they have no blood bound assets here.”</p><p>“And if they had accumulated quite the wealth since then? Someone like me?”</p><p>“Then you would have those problems.”</p><p>“Bluntly put, were I to help Blaise and Antonio with a few eggs, even if I have a few babies myself, I can’t guarantee that somewhere down the line that a person who has never had anything to do with my family will inherit the Granger vault.”</p><p>“Entirely possible, my dear.”</p><p>“Mia cara, we could make vows,” crooned Blaise.</p><p>“Blaise…” warned Antonio in a friendly manner.</p><p>“Alright, we’re not at that point yet,” he replied, picking up his lover’s hand for a quick kiss.</p><p>“Did we not agree that this is not a business dinner?” asked Hermione sweetly, finishing off the wine for the current course.</p><p>“Darling,” Blaise rounded with his devilish smile, “there’s still three courses. Anything could happen.”</p><p>“Zabini, it’s a good thing to be such an optimist but careful not to overdo it. Now, I believe I have six glasses of wine trying to escape me.”</p><p>“I as well,” said the elder Malfoy and took the opportunity to help Hermione up and escort her.</p><p>“The photos in The Prophet do you no justice,” he opined once they were out of earshot of the table. “You are ravishing in real life.”</p><p>“Lord Malfoy, you are laying it on thickly. Do not mistake me for a fool. What are you and your son doing here? What does Blaise think I can do for you?”</p><p>“My dear, why not indulge me while I flatter you? It’s far more enjoyable for both of us than talking about ulterior motives.”</p><p>“I don’t think it proper for you to call me dear, we are not well acquainted. Zabini only gets away with it because I’d lose my voice telling him to stop.”</p><p>“Will you let me if we become well acquainted?”</p><p>“We are not going to become well acquainted.”</p><p>At that he pulled her to a stop and swivelled in front of her, “Why not? I would hardly be your poorest choice, considering the Weasley boy. You dated Thorfinn Rowle for a month too, therefore my past affiliations are not an obstacle.”</p><p>“Oh my god,” Hermione whispered, “You are full of yourself.”</p><p>“You are arousing, my dear, in more ways than one,” he said as he backed her up until she met a wall. “If I was shy about making my intentions known, I would not get the things I want. I think we’d be good together, quite compatible.” He trailed a finger down her cheek.</p><p>“Not interested,” proclaimed Hermione as she slid past him and went into the loo.</p><p>“A lie,” he whispered, grinning after her vanishing form.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Chapter 6</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>In which Hermione and Draco have a private chat and Lucius prioritises his son.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Curiosity won over while Hermione was powdering her nose, therefore on her return to the table she said, “So, Malfoy, when are you and Mrs Malfoy planning to produce an heir, as you purebloods like to call it?”</p><p>Draco allowed the drama to increase as the waiters brought the next course, leisurely commenting on the aroma and presentation, before answering her.</p><p>“We are… exploring options. There is no hurry, our vitals are quite good and neither of us will be expiring any time soon.”</p><p>“No hurry indeed, Malfoy. I believe there is only dessert and cheese to come. Your time is limited in my opinion.”</p><p>“Do you mean to deprive us of the pleasure of your company so soon after this delightful reacquaintance, Miss Granger?” The elder Malfoy spoke simply to draw her attention right at the moment his fork of food passed his lips and he drew it out unnecessarily sensually as her eyes moved to him.</p><p>“As Zabini has witnessed, even lunches with my nearest and dearest are hurried affairs. I am regularly headhunted so that precludes any need for me to invest in networking. And despite my repeated declines to annual balls, award ceremonies and other frivolous functions there have been no hindrances or closed doors where my work or social life is concerned. Charming as this has been, it is unlikely I could fit in… or pursue… a second date.”</p><p>“Unlikely,” stated he, “is not 100% certainty. I quite like when the odds are against me.”</p><p>Hermione’s eyes widened almost imperceptibly - was he running his foot against her ankle? As he had not broken eye contact, he caught her reaction and felt incredibly smug. It was definitely a lie when she said she was not interested.</p><p>The conversation moved to new ground and the matter not raised again until Hermione let the last of a washed rind cheese melt on her tongue, it’s bite dancing comfortably over the sweetness left by the port.</p><p>“Draco,” she said, forgetting they were not on first name basis, “Tell me in one sentence why I should clear lunch for you next Thursday when I am back at the Ministry.”</p><p>“Oh,” Draco turned in surprise, glancing momentarily at his father. His father said nothing but he could tell his look was all make it good, son. It was against the grain to state his circumstances in such a succinct way as a single sentence, but he understood this was a test for him. She was entertaining him, making him quite the offer, but he still had to earn it and he would need to be firmly on Gryffindor territory, speaking her language.</p><p>“Astoria… and Daphne… both have their uterus and ovaries corrupted, greatly scarified starting early this year and we don’t know why and whether it is associated with the Greengrass curse as it has never been seen before in their line.”</p><p>Was it enough, he wondered as Hermione picked up a stray died figlet hidden under the cheese knife. Was it a good idea to use scientific terminology when they’d all been saying wombs and eggs all night? Would it intrigue her as a medical puzzle? Should he have left all his eggs in one basket and purely appealed to her emotional side? Did it help to include Daphne? He’d heard Potter mention more than once that Hermione was more responsive to those who had done some legwork prior to approaching her with problems. Did it demonstrate clearly enough that he had been looking for a solution before Blaise had committed his indiscretion?</p><p>He took a look at Blaise. Blaise was busy being subtly handsy with Antonio’s thigh but he noticed that Antonio had his full attention on Hermione.</p><p>“I’ll send a message to your office with the time I’m available,” she said, looking at the napkin she was folding up.</p><p>Draco accepted with silent dignity. He had no interest in figuring out a mutually available time. Whatever she gave him, he’d clear the time and meet her.</p><p>“Zabini, this was a marvellous choice. I really did have an exquisite time, thank you. Mr Solano I hope we run into each other at the Ministry and don’t deny Mr Zabini the attentions he clearly craves tonight for my sake. I’ve had many years in close quarters with someone similar, they cannot help what they are.”</p><p>“Granger!” said Zabini with mock outrage, “I am nothing like Weasley.”</p><p>As they gathered their coats, Draco felt his father press the head of his cane to his elbow very slightly.</p><p>“Zabini, Solano, Granger - you take this lift. Father, I wish to enquire about that second last wine we had. Will you come with me?”</p><p>“Goodnight, Zabini, I echo Miss Granger’s sentiments, an excellent choice tonight. Goodbye, Solano, until next time. Miss Granger,” the elder Malfoy purred, raising her hand to kiss it.</p><p>“Goodnight, Lord Malfoy,” she replied, amused. “Malfoy - until next Thursday.” The doors slid closed and the Malfoys watched the numbers above it descend.</p><p>“Father,” said Draco, turning to him, “why has Granger agreed to meet me? What did you do while you two were absent?”</p><p>“I did nothing, Draco. Miss Granger was born with a prime directive to assist those in need. She will always have trouble suppressing that drive. Do not look a gift horse in the mouth, inelegant as Zabini’s methods were in securing this date.”</p><p>“It was not a date, father.”</p><p>“That was what Miss Granger couched it as. Do you not recall her talking about second dates?”</p><p>“Father you are an incorrigible man-whore. You want her, obviously.”</p><p>“Of course I do, Draco. She’s famous, influential, highly intelligent… and she has kept herself well.”</p><p>“Just don’t jeopardise anything for me.”</p><p>“Draco,” Lucius was all seriousness in an instant. “I will not.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>This chapter held a clue why there will be non-con later on. Lord Malfoy is arrogant enough to make executive decisions, is he not?</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Chapter 7</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>In which Draco gets his chance to appeal to Hermione over lunch.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Draco was waiting when Hermione swept out of the lift, one hand in pocket, the other clutching her satchel. Her robe was unbuttoned and she cut a pleasing figure with her relaxed charcoal trousers and a rippling bronze velvet top.
</p><p>“I thought I might take you out for dim sum, would you like that?” Hermione asked, though the way she was strutting over to one of the street exits insinuated that Draco need not answer. Stepping into a booth they spun into a small, dark space and fumbled for a door. Draco felt a drizzle of magic running over him. They came out into the sunlight from what would seem to be a utility room to a hotel to the innocent bystander and Draco realised Hermione had already transfigured their outer robes into smart looking Muggle coats.
</p><p>“Thanks for not making it brown or burgundy, Granger,” he smirked.
</p><p>“Have you been to dim sum, Malfoy?” asked Hermione as she headed off down the street.
</p><p>“It’s Chinese, isn’t it?” he replied. “I know of it but haven’t tried it myself.”
</p><p>It was a short walk to Chinatown and soon they came into a busy arcade. Hermione took them up a narrow staircase to a hustling restaurant gaudily decorated in ivory and gold with rosewood furniture and trim. As they stood next to an ornate floor to ceiling tapestry waiting for attention, Draco ran his hand along the long, curling silken dragon pictured flying over immaculate gardens.
</p><p>“You just can’t help preening yourself, wherever you go,” mused Hermione looking away. Draco smirked but said nothing.
</p><p>“Hello, hello. Welcome to Crystal Lake,” chattered a busy waiter, “Just two today, this way please! What tea for today, or you prefer Coke?” Having sat down, they were immediately approached by two ancient grannies in pink uniforms, one from the left, one from the right.
</p><p>“Prawn har gow! Har gow!” yelled one. “Pot sticker! Very crispy. Pot sticker! I have chicken buns, just steamed,” yelled the other. They looked ready to ram their trolleys that were stacked high with bamboo baskets. To appease the ladies, they ordered one of everything. Hermione scoffed when she noticed Draco using a sticking charm to keep his dumplings between his chopsticks. Draco scoffed back, “Seriously, Granger, are you a witch or not?”
</p><p>“Alright, Malfoy. Gold star. Innovative, I grant you.”
</p><p>Draco smiled nervously and closed his eyes for a second. Time was ticking and he couldn’t spend any more of it on pleasantries if he was going to get through everything on his action plan for this meeting. There were so many hurdles. He’d have to be completely Gryffindor today, no matter how gauche it made him. Blaise was already so over the line in the way this situation began, so Draco was doubly so in piggybacking on the proposal. He already knew she had no need for money plus any mention of it would probably end in her walking out. Keeping clear of mentioning alliances or social standing was probably a good idea too since he wasn’t sure how sensitive she still was about classism. But then, he knew he couldn’t bring charity or the goodness of her heart into this either. Despite his father’s opinion that this should be his focus, Draco felt it deeply insulting to Hermione to try and get his way like this. This matter was exploitative, no two ways about it. What was that Muggle phrase? Call a spade a spade? He chuckled as he realised the irony; Hermione was more likely to argue that there were perfectly good reasons not to call a spade a spade and rant about how many historical tool names had been shed from daily use because people were too lazy to call them anything else but a ‘spade’.
</p><p>“What’s funny?” she asked, before biting into a big, fluffy bun.
</p><p>“Just things I like about you.”
</p><p>“There are many things to like about me. I’m glad you’ve found some. Although it’s a worry that you find them funny.”
</p><p>Draco ran through his plan again and found himself stuck. “Granger, please help me. I came here today with an image of what we’d say to each other and I’d go home with good news for Tori, but I don’t know how to start the conversation anymore. Could you just interrogate me and see if I’m worth it?”
</p><p>“Well, that’s fresh…” she said, crunching around a fried rib. Draco polished off his tea, sure that it was time to pack up and go. To his surprise, Hermione poured him another cup. “But I <em>like</em> it."
</p><p>“Alright. How did you come to marry Astoria? Oh, get that dessert lady.” She waved over another granny. “Mmm, egg tarts please. A coconut jelly, yes the one with fruit. Mango pancakes. Malfoy, what about you?”
</p><p>“That coconut sago thing, please. Are you seriously eating all that?”
</p><p>“I’m sure you’ll help me. No one can resist an egg tart, especially since eggs are on the line.”
</p><p>“Indeed. You want to know if we were betrothed and whether any offspring of yours might be subject to an archaic practice. Is that what you’re really asking?”
</p><p>“Half correct,” Hermione smiled, “Go on then.”
</p><p>“I was promised before I was born to a distant branch of the Malfoy’s in France, but when my father was marked, the family would not allow negotiations to begin. There were no such understandings with the Greengrass family, but the dating pool for anyone associated with the marked became quite small, you know.”
</p><p>“Was it a romantic union then?”
</p><p>“Sort of. I think you would refer to it as settling. It was a union of choice, and a happy one for both of us. More?”
</p><p>“Yes,” Hermione directed.
</p><p>“Well, I was quite in love with Pansy and I’ve not felt like that with Tori, not even in the beginning.”
</p><p>“Parkinson, really? When was that?”
</p><p>“In fifth year, before everything went to shit. Pansy saw a lot of things she shouldn’t have, not as much as I, but still... Tori’s quite sheltered in that regard. Even Daphne, who’s older.”
</p><p>“What is Parkinson doing with herself now?”
</p><p>Draco sighed and poured more tea for them both. “She’s shuttered herself in one of the more remote homes. Somewhere up north. She paints… really disturbing stuff. Then apparently every few months she has a bonfire and burns them all.”
</p><p>“Sounds cathartic. Did you two try again? After?”
</p><p>“No. We both knew… whatever we used to have is irretrievable. What we did to each other in the year we finished Hogwarts… we’ll never love each other again.”
</p><p>“You can’t love? Or you can’t love her?”
</p><p>“Just her. I love Tori very much. I mean, I do love Pansy. I care about her. I still make sure she’s ok, that she hasn’t walked into one of her bonfires to end it all. She can’t stand that i keep tabs on her, that she hasn’t ended herself. She says I don’t trust her. That I send elves to check instead of visiting myself. I can’t see her. I can’t be around her without feeling that I had a hand in how she is now. So how could she be around that, to have that guilt. She’d be trying to assuage that guilt, and then I’d just feel I owed her even more. With Tori I have a clean slate, in a way. I’ve never been unkind. Never disappointed her, not in a way that couldn’t be forgiven. Never said hurtful, unforgettable things. Nor has she done those things to me. We’re happy, hopeful together.”
</p><p>Hermione’s eyes were contemplative.
</p><p>“Our children, Tori’s and mine, no matter where they come from, from this, adoption, a miracle of magic, found by chance inside a cabbage…” 
</p><p>Hermione laughed.
</p><p>“... we would not engage in betrothals. I doubt anyone would be interested anyway, not the people I’d want to mingle with. And the ones who do, I don’t want to be related to. You know, most of my classmates have the same family structure. Their fathers know little about what the mothers like or what they do with their days. None of our parents sleep in the same bedroom. They’re either celibate because they respect their partner, or they have affairs because they couldn’t marry the people they are attracted to. Even gift giving… they don’t choose a present because they know their spouse will like it. There’s a protocol for every occasion; they just follow that. There is so little happiness in both our families that we wouldn’t dare to extinguish the little that’s left by doggedly following family tradition. Tori and I talked about this early on. I don’t think she would have married me if I was going to do something stupid, like meddling with my children’s relationships."
</p><p>“Alright. If the worst happened to yourselves, what would happen to your children?”
</p><p>“Hmmm. I don’t think you have an angle with this one, unless you’re hoping that I won’t say they’ll be raised parentless by house elves in Malfoy Manor until they’re of age? Well now...Both the Greengrasses and the Malfoys have family branches here and on the continent, in absolute worst case scenario. That is, if both our parents; Daphne; our aunts and uncles; our adult cousins all were unavailable… Our dearest friends… Yourself, if you were inclined… Neither of us would leave our children with someone we didn’t like simply because they were related. The children might make friends whose families would want to look after them. If that developed, we’d make provisions to include it. It was already one of the things I looked for in a partner, that they were not estranged from their family, that they had a network of support because back then I didn’t know how damaged the Malfoy reputation would be, who would continue associating with us. I wanted children but I didn’t want to risk that they’d be left with next to no one if something happened to me. But it would always be someone that we both felt understood us and what we’d been through and let our children grow up more or less the same way. If I suspected someone would tell my children they weren’t raised right I wouldn’t put them on the list. I couldn’t bear the thought if they were told, “thank goodness you’re out of the clutches of your Death Eater parents”. They’ll already get that at school, on the street. I don’t want someone who will deny it either, telling them it’s nothing to do with them and to forget it. It would have to be someone who is mature enough to discuss it, answer their questions, deal with their feelings when they are inevitably bullied. Is that what you were after?”
</p><p>“I guess I wondered what options you had. I don’t know much about the Greengrasses, but I know you don’t have siblings, obviously. I don’t know whether you have any relationship with Andromeda, or whether your father has siblings. What about your house elves?”
</p><p>“Definitely no,” he broke in. “I didn’t socialise with any children until I was five and elves don’t play properly, really. They were always trying to look after me, fulfil my wishes, and you know, every kid wants to win so I was always winning. It was deeply unchallenging. I couldn’t imagine being raised to adulthood by them. It’s unlikely these days anyway. The Ministry wouldn't allow it. If they knew there were children in a home with no adults, they’d break through the wards to get them. So… how about you? Do you have options, if you had children?”
</p><p>“I don’t suppose you know much about my family?”
</p><p>“No. I don’t know at all.”
</p><p>“I was an only child, like you. I’m essentially an orphan now. My parents aren’t dead but they don’t know who they are or who I am. Permanent amnesia - please don’t ask.”
</p><p>“Alright… What about your grandparents, cousins? Do you have any?”
</p><p>“I do… but as far as they know my parents and myself are missing persons, presumed deceased. I don’t know if you know anything about this, but my family home was torched around the time I didn’t go back to Hogwarts. The case is closed and the Aurors will never reopen it, not that it matters to me. The house was empty when it happened but I suppose the Aurors also presume my parents were kidnapped and are deceased. They never spent time investigating, pretty small potatoes for everything that was happening then.”
</p><p>Draco nodded in agreement, but added, “No, I didn’t even know that happened. I’m thankful your parents weren’t kidnapped because I know what was happening to Muggles that were being taken. I’m very sorry something has happened to your parents, though.” 
</p><p>“So, that was my worry. I’m in such a precarious position myself. I just wondered what yours was.”
</p><p>“Oh. But I thought part of this… proposal… was that you were having children yourself?”
</p><p>“There was no real proposal. Blaise is trying to create something he thinks we all need without asking if we want it.” Hermione refilled their cups. “When he overheard me, I was open to researching IVF, maybe not so much for myself but for us as a whole, you know, with the low fertility rates. But the points you all raised during the dinner are serious complications. I don’t think it would be feasible to introduce IVF to our world for another ten years. There are not even basic squib rights, for example. No one gets in trouble for dumping their squib child in the Muggle world. If we had IVF I presume the numbers of squibs per annum would rise simply because we were getting pregnant more often. We’re stagnant on reforming the Statute of Secrecy and I imagine with more squibs out there, we’ll end up with more Muggleborn…”
</p><p>“And then we’ll have riots in the streets with chanting that the Muggleborn are taking over.”
</p><p>“Well, that’s a bit dramatic…”
</p><p>“<em>You</em> were getting a bit louder as you talked, you realise?” smirked Draco.
</p><p>“Was I? Well… I was more concerned about a future groundswell of squib malcontent. It would be doubly bitter to a squib that there are so many of them excluded from this community due to artificial means. Wizarding Britain could not survive another war within 50 years. You must know what we haven’t managed to re-establish since the end of Grindelwald?”
</p><p>“It can’t be helped, you know my father moaned at every opportunity. A national ballet company, a national opera, the national museum, all of the guilds though I argue with him that even if the guilds were re-established most of them would only have one member. Can you imagine? Poor Ollivander would not even be able to attend a conference on behalf of his guild because he’d never have a quorum to ratify his selection. Oh, his favourite, we’ve had no national representation in any sport except Quidditch and the rest of the world think we can’t ride anything except brooms.”
</p><p>Hermione raised her eyebrows.
</p><p>“Oh, the Malfoys are intrinsically linked to anything equestrian. Anything with four legs and a mane have highly sought after pedigrees from one or another of the family branches. My family still maintains an Abraxan stud in France that is over 400 years old. I’ve ridden since I was four.”
</p><p>“Yet you couldn’t ride Buckbeak…”
</p><p>“Not equine,” sniffed Draco.
</p><p>“If you say so,” replied Hermione, doing a side-eye. “So will all your children ride something or other? Beast and or broom?”
</p><p>“I’d give them the option how far they want to take it, but basic riding ability is a must for me. Moreso the broom. You know how Muggles strive for their children to have a standard level of swimming ability?”
</p><p>Hermione simply raised an eyebrow.
</p><p>“Well, it would make sense that we should teach flight to a standard ability for all children.”
</p><p>“Children can fall into a pond, but not fall into the sky,” she retorted.
</p><p>“No, really. Maybe I’m still paranoid, but Merlin, do you know how much more effective it is to get out of a situation by broom than on foot?”
</p><p>Hermione looked unconvinced so he went on, “Tell me, back <em>then</em> did you ever have an occasion you were trapped by anti apparition wards? Perhaps a time where it was quite a distance to get to the ward boundary? If you had a broken ankle, you can still ride a broom. And tell me, wouldn’t it have cost you less to repair a hole big enough for you and a broom to fly out of, than, say, a dragon?”
</p><p>“Hush you! Fine. You’re making a lot of sense.”
</p><p>“Not to mention how you would escape if you were ever trapped on a roof."
</p><p>“The war is over,” Hermione said quietly.
</p><p>“I believe you were the one saying how easily squib unrest could precipitate just moments ago.”
</p><p>There was a pause before Draco began again. “I would never have made it through the fiendfyre if Potter and Weasley were even a mite less skilled on the broom. They wouldn’t have made it out either. There’s a lot of sense for ensuring children can do more than staying on it.”
</p><p>Hermione knew what he was saying. Harry and Ron were the ones who were able to circle round and be accurate enough to skim past Goyle and Malfoy to scoop them up. Hermione was flat out staying on and flying high enough to avoid the flames. Had it been down to her, either Goyle or Malfoy would have been left behind.
</p><p>“I didn’t bring it up to put you down,” Draco said, resting his hand in the middle of the table. His tension eased as Hermione placed her fingers over his. It was a sign he was winning her over, hopefully.
</p><p>“If this were to happen, Malfoy, are both you and Greengrass… viable?”
</p><p>“Tori, we’re not a hundred percent on. The healers say she can’t carry at all. After the last we met, we went back to ask about ovum harvesting and they are looking further into that. It’s possible that the scarification on the ovaries is only surface level. Daphne is actually being investigated as well.”
</p><p>“And if you can’t gain any ova from either of them?”
</p><p>“Tori and I would not want anyone else except you involved.”
</p><p>“Really? Why?”
</p><p>“Well, after the discussion about inheritance and to be honest, some worrying points you raise about whether our world is ready for IVF, you’re the best fit for us. You’ve got such an ethical bent that we have no doubt whatever arrangement we agree on is what you’ll stick to. You’re healthy both physically and mentally. You don’t have any family curses that we know of. We’d hope they would have your intelligence. Annnd we’re fairly certain you wouldn’t exploit the child, running around saying he or she is part Granger.”
</p><p>Hermione scoffed again. “Are you <em>certain</em> I won’t try and ride on the Malfoy coat-tails? I notice you say nothing of my good looks?”
</p><p>“Malfoy looks are dominant so we don’t even have to think about that,” he smirked.
</p><p>“Ahhh, that persistent arrogance. You never disappoint. So you’re viable?”
</p><p>“My swimmers are dandy, thank you for asking. Would I be donating to you? Or would you be having some of Blaise, or Antonio?”
</p><p>“Blaise no thank you. No, if I go into this venture i won’t have a child myself.”
</p><p>“Why not?” asked Draco seriously.
</p><p>“It would be odd,” Hermione replied, giving Draco a stare. “Look, if I’m carrying two babies, both being mine and Blaise, how do I ever say to these children when they grow up that they are genetically siblings yet they grew up in two different households? How would I explain how I decided which one to keep? If one were to feel that the other had a better life, better parents, better toys… how would they get over that knowing that it could have been them? Anyway, it would have to be Antonio, not Blaise. I can’t take the risk that the smarmy is nature not nurture,” she said with a wink.
</p><p>“I see what you mean. So if Tori and I were to need your eggs, you’d wind up with the same problem.”
</p><p>“I guess so.” Hermione rested her hand on Draco’s again since Draco looked a little deflated. “It’s not a deal breaker if I don’t have a child.”
</p><p>“Seems unfair, though,” Draco replied. Hermione gave his hand a little squeeze. She liked who he had become and she saw how much today had taken out of him to be so upfront and open, so very unSlytherin while dealing with her.
</p><p>As the pair finished off the desserts and paid the bill, they failed to notice a slight shimmer behind a pillar close to them.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I had a big list of talking points for Hermione to raise. Things like what pre-Hogwarts education would be, how much time the parents would spend with the children, discipline, who the children would socialise with, what they would do if the children want to meet Hermione, how involved with the family Hermione would be after birth, the classic "I don't want to be a lawyer, I want to join a band" scenario... but I've been sitting on this chapter for over a month and decided that I would ruminate this into a discontinued story if I didn't just knuckle down and get it done. If you like, just go ahead an imagine that Hermione had raised all her concerns and Draco answered in a way that settled Hermione.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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